Top 7 Undead Video Game Characters

Vampires, zombies, liches, skeletons, and ghosts have made some of the most compelling, annoying, and fun video game characters over the years. With Halloween right around the corner I thought it might be fun to take a look at some of my favorite undead characters from video games. This is far from an all-inclusive list, and the entries aren’t presented in a particular order. Without further delay, let’s get this list started.

Dry Bones – Super Mario Bros. 3 (1988)

What’s not to love about Dry Bones? So people might have selected Boo as their pick from Mario, but I am partial to this skeletal reptile. From his aesthetically pleasing design to the comical way he collapses into a pile of bones when defeated, he is by far one of my favorite enemies from the Mario franchise. This undead turtle has become one of my go-to choices in the recent Mario Party and Mario Kart games, and as such he earns himself a spot on this list.

Kain – Blood Omen: Legacy of Kain (1996)

Kain is a vampire, and he is also hateful, revenge obsessed, sometimes an anti-hero, and sometimes a villain, but always awesome. Although some people seem to prefer this franchise’s other protagonist Raziel, I grew attached to Kain during my time with the original game. It would be nice to see him return in a new game sometime in the future, but even if that never happens at least we can appreciate the times we had with him.

Morte – Planescape: Torment (1999)

Planescape: Torment is, as many people will tell you, one of the greatest games of all time. Morte is one of your several companions in the game, and as you can see above his is nothing more than a floating skull. He is sarcastic and wise-cracking, which made him a welcome member of my party during the game. As his story develops you learn that there is more to him than you first assumed. He easily earns his place on this list.

Cervantes de León – Soul Edge ( 1995)

The evil pirate that sets the standard for evil video game pirates. Serving as the primary antagonist in the first game of the franchise, Cervantes has returned as a character in every Soul game since. He is an intimidating personality, with a fighting style all his own. This undead pirate is not to be trifled with, and his quest for power lands him on our list.

Noob Saibot – Mortal Kombat II (1993)

The undead wraith Noob Saibot was once Bi-Han, the first character to carry the Sub-Zero name in a Mortal Kombat game. Having been killed by the series most famous undead character (but not my favorite) Scorpion, Bi Han returned as a vengeful and evil specter, and has remained an antagonist to the series’ heroes ever since. This guy is seriously awesome, possessing a devious move-set and cold and calculating demeanor. It’s no wonder he is fan favorite and more than belongs on this list.

Ash – Phantom Brave (2004)

Death couldn’t stop this hero. In life a Chroma, which is a kind of bounty hunter/ghostbuster combination, but after he was killed he was transformed into an undead called a phantom. From there he went on the serve as the immortal guardian of the young Chroma girl Marona. He has a strong and protective personality and is just as charming as the games he is featured in.

Valvatorez – Disgaea 4: A Promise Unforgotten (2011)

A vampire that doesn’t drink blood and is obsessed with sardines? Sounds like a winner to me. This guy used to be a more typical and much more powerful vampire. That was until an event 400 years ago caused him to promised to stop drinking blood. He is sometimes naive, but all around a good person. He get’s a place among my favorites, even if his breath probably smells like fish.

There we have it. There were a few other characters that came close to making it, but I wanted to keep it to one entry per franchise. I am going to be doing a few more Halloween themed lists this month, and I will probably include them in those.

In the meanwhile I hope you enjoyed my list. Feel free to let me know what you think about my selections. Also, be sure to check out the rest of the site for awesome news and other great articles. As always, thank you and see you next time.

Brian Cowan loves playing video games, football, Magic, and pretty much anything else that he can use as an excuse to waste time. When he is not doing the above or working, he is usually writing or reading.